The Phoenix area is fortunate to have a number of shops offering unique, handcrafted items — some items quite affordable and some approaching art gallery prices. In many cases — icing on the cake — the items are locally made. I stopped by two shops in the last few weeks and within minutes of visiting … Continue reading Places to support your local artisans

It’s a sign, a very good sign, of the growing vibrancy of the downtown Phoenix art scene that my list of galleries to see during last week’s Third Friday artwalk numbered almost a dozen. Wish I could say I made it to all of those galleries, but the ones that I did pop into offered … Continue reading Third Friday Artwalk: A lot of ground to cover

As our Centennial year winds down (Arizona turns 101 on February 14, 2013), I thought it would be timely to indulge my fascination with George Elbert Burr, an early-20th century chronicler of the Southwest through his delicate etchings and drypoints. I say “delicate” because of the soft and deft way his landscapes are rendered but, … Continue reading In appreciation of George Elbert Burr

It’s always a pleasure to become newly familiar with an Arizona artist, so I am glad I came across an exhibition of Ellen Wagener works this week at Gebert Contemporary in Scottsdale. Technically, Wagener creates landscapes, using pastel on paper in amazingly detailed work and delivering reverent views of Arizona agricultural fields, deserts, rivers and … Continue reading Wagener’s cloudscapes capture beauty of Arizona

Editor’s note: This question-and-answer session was originally conducted for a spring 2012 article in Art + Culture North Texas magazine, out of Dallas. — DR When she paints, Forrest Solis likes to split the canvas: two seemingly divergent ideas play off each other on either side of the composition. In her new series of 12 … Continue reading Arizona artist profile: Forrest Solis

OK, I got the wordplay out of the way in the blog title. But seriously, “Art Quilts Year XVII: Integrating a Paradox,” a juried show of more than 60 textile art pieces, invites some rather deep contemplation. As the Chandler Center for the Arts explains, a paradox consists of two concepts, both true yet in … Continue reading A common thread is elusive in Chandler quilt show

The annual exhibition of contemporary Western paintings and bronzes at the Phoenix Art Museum is a longstanding fund-raiser from the museum’s Men’s Arts Council and as such, it must meet certain expectations among Western art aficionados. Whenever I stop in to see the show, I am basically predisposed not to like much of it — … Continue reading Selectively viewing PAM’s ‘The West Select’

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Who I Am

"Almost a native" goes the saying if you have lived in Phoenix for a good chunk of your life. That's me -- a desert rat -- and my experiences as a writer and editor have led me to believe that our local art scene is highly underrated. This website might not remedy that, but it will introduce readers to museums and galleries and art in public spaces -- all around our beautiful desert Valley.